Marble game



W. J. RICE MARBLE GAME June 26,l 1928.

2 Sheets-Shet l Filed Dec. l0, 1927 INVENTOR. BY mj@ ATTORNEY.

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. Ew SQ mgm June 26, 1928,.

1,675,052 W. J. RICE v MARBLE GAME.

Filed nece. 1o 1927 2 sh@ heet 2 RUNS SCORE ouTS TRlKES RUNS 5cORED@@ bBALLS (D @D @D INNINGS PLAYED FIG. 4 I6 INVENToR.

Q 0 BY I/ FIG-5 `\\S me@ Mjf' ATTORNEY.

Patented .inne 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES WALTER J. RICE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MARBLE GAME.

AApplication led December 10, 1927. Serial No. 239,124.

My invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly, toapparatus for playing a gaine simulating baseball.

In accordance with my invention, a small body, as a marble, or the like,is rolled or pitched along an alley or runway at or near the end ofwhich is disposed a plurality of indicators, of various widths, andpreferably spaced at varying distances from each other, each havingthereon a legend which determines the Value of the indicator when movedor displaced by the marble, anda portion of a legend the remainder ofwhich is on an adjacent indicator to determine :the value of both whensimultaneously moved or displaced by the marble.

Further in'accordance with my invention there is provided a score boardhaving thereon a miniature representation of a baseball diamond, markersor counters being placed in positions determined by displaced indicatorsthereon to disclose the progress of the game and the status of a playeror team of players at any instant during a period or inning of the gameto enable the player or team to utilize his or their knowledge and skillin view of the revealed situation and of the known hazards of vthe gamedue tothe various widths and markings or legends of the indicators.

My invention further resides in features of construction and combinationhereinafter described and claimed.

For a disclosure of one form of my invention, reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of he game board constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, and on an enlargedscale, taken on line `2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, in section, and on an enlarged scale,taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. et is a plan view of a score board board of side frames and itsopposite end ending at a desired distance from the other or indicatorend of theframes The base board 2 is secured in any suitable manner, asbyadhesive, intermediate the width of the iside frames, the upperportions 1a of which constitute guard sti'ucture to prevent a marble endof the gaine apparatus, there .is marked on the upper face of thebaseboard 2, 01 printed on a covering as of paper fastened thereto, ashooting line7 Sironi which, at any point thereon, the `players maysuit-- ably propel marbles or their' equivalent. On the same face of theboard, at a desired distance from the line 3 and between line 3 and theindicator end of the board,there is marked or printedv a miniaturerepresenta tion of a baseball diamond 4; having a line 5 extendingtransversely thereof normal to the side frames l.

At the indicator end of the board, the end piece 6 is fastened to theside frames l and to a. bottom piece 7 which may, as shown, extend butay relatively short distance towards the opposite or players end of theboard. A supporting or bracingl member, extending between and fastenedto the side framesis disposed between and secured tov the lower side ofthe baseboard and to the upper side of the bottom 8. Other bracingorsupporting members, such as cross pieces 9, 10, fastened to the sideframes, maintain the surface of the base-board in the saine plane, that1s, prevent warping, sagging and other distortions by being secured totheV width to 'engage the surface, as of a table,

On which the game is placed.

iVithin the space between the end of the baseboard secured to-block 8and the .end-

piece 6, are positioned avplura'lity of indicators l1 of Various widths,and spaced'atY varying distances from each other across the width of theboard 2. The indicators may be of any suitable composition, aswood or.metal, and may be, as shown, pivotally mounted on a rod or bar l2extending between the side frames and held in place as by a nut 13threadably engaging one end thereof, the other end being provided withslipping.

a head 14. Spacing washers 15 on bar 12 between adjacent indicators 11prevent longitudinal displacement of the individual indicators andmaintain the proper spa-:e relation ot adjacent indicators. A

On the tace ot each indicator visibletrom the players end o't' the boardis painted, marked, printed, or the like, a legend which indicates thereward or penalty lto be awarded or imposed as a result ojt the movementor Vdisplac-ement ot the particular indicator by a propelled marble.There is also marked on the face of each indicator a portion oi' one ortwo legends, depending upon the posit-ion of the indicator inthe series,the remainder of which is on an adjacent indicator, which indicates thereward or penalty to be awarded or imposed as a result ot the simul-`tan-eous displacement of two contiguous indicators.

In place ot the spacing washers shown in Fig. 1, the indicators may havesuch spacing members formed integrally therewith vin the maner` shown inFigs.` 5 and G, wherein a sheet. metal blankor the like, 17, has sidetabs 18 adapted to be formed to serve both as spacing and bearingmembers.

uThe indicators, though preferably, are not necessarily pivotedto thehousing structure and may be placed loosely `on the base member. Thepresent construction, however, is advantageous in that the indicatorsare supported below the level brought up to the aligning positionagainst the edge ot said base as shown in Fig. 3.

,In playing the game, it is convenient to adopt the rules covering thegame of organized basebalh Two teams, each consisting of on-e or moreplayers,` are alternately entitled to shoot at the indicatorsuntil-three outs have been made, until a specified number of inningshave been played. To be counted as an attempt, the marble must cross theline 5 of the diamond 4the player having the opportunity of recoveringit before it passes that limit in the event ot the marble `known hazardsof the game due to the width,

spacing and marking of the indicators. For

It is to be understood that the example, at the beginning of the game orof each inning, the marble is pitched until an out indicator has beenhit, three strike indicators displaced, ora base hit indicator moved. Inthe First two instances, a marker is placed in the proper circle of theout column of the team at bat, intermediate balls and strikes beingpreviously indicated by placing markers on theproper circles on thescore board. In the latter instance, a marker is positioned on theproper base ofV the diamond marked in the score board,in dicating'thatan imaginary batter has become a base runner. p

Theshooting is then ycontinued and the base runner is either advanced byother base hits or bases on balls, or he dies on the bases, due to threeouts before he has scored. Further explanation is consideredunnecessrary in View of the well known rules of organized baseball whichare followed in the present game,

lVhat I claim is: p

1. In a game apparatus, a basemember, a plurality ot indicators movablewith respect thereto, said indicators having a plurality ofcharactersthereon representing the component parts or' a game, some ofsaid clnrracters being complete and others incomplete with reference toan individual indicater.

2. In a game apparatus, a base member, a plurality ot indicators varyingin width pivoted with respect thereto, means for moving said indicatorsindividually or in pairs about their pivots, and characters representingthe component parts of a Vgame so arranged on said indicators that saidmeans may move one complete character `when actuating a pair otsaidindicators simultaneously, and other characters when said indicators areactuated individually. v

3. In a game apparatus,a base member, a plurality of indicators movablewith respect thereto and arrangedfor variable spacing;

with respect to each other, said indicators having characters thereonrepresenting the component parts ot a game and adapted to Y be movedeither singly or in pairs by operating means whereby characters areindicated to denote a play or part ot said game.

4. In a game apparatus, a base member, a plurality ot indicators movablewith respect thereto and adapted .to be variablyV spaced with respect toeach other, said indicators being limited in movement in one direction,by an edge of said base member.

WALTER J. RICE.

